Training Plans for Beginners - Part 2 - Safety First!

Alright, I hope from yesterday’s video you understand the value of establishing a training plan. Having a plan will help you filter out distractions, break down a monumental task into bitesize chunks, and help you a commit to a process rather than hoping for a goal.  BUT before we start laying out a plan for achieving a newer, faster, stronger, better self we need to determine where we stand today. This won’t only help you develop a plan that will actually meet your needs it will help keep you safe along the way too.  So, SAFETY FIRST! But that’s all just for figuring out what may or may not kill you. You also need to ask yourself, “What is my current fitness level?” Good? Bad? Superior? Abysmal? The answer doesn’t matter because it’s only going up from here.    The point of answering the question is to provide you with a baseline figure that will help you plan a workout program tailored to your individual needs. This will help avoid overtraining, under-training, and decrease the risk of injuries. You can either have a coach or trainer guide you through a fitness screening or do some fairly simple tests yourself.   There are 4 categories that determine a person’s physical fitness level:   • Body composition  • Flexibility  • Muscular strength and endurance  • Aerobic endurance  After you have completed each fitness test take some time to see where you are at. The tables in the attached document categorize results and will help determine your current fitness level.  Remember, don’t be discouraged if your results are not what you were expecting. The whole point of this training plan thing is to get you where you want to go.  Alright, with that out of the way, we can finally start developing your first training plan.